Did one in every of your tent poles simply snap proper in the midst of your tenting journey?
Don’t pack to go house simply but!
A tent pole is a type of issues you may simply restore, so long as you will have a number of issues at your disposal.
Today, I’ll present you many methods you may restore your damaged tent poles. Let’s dive in!
How to Repair a Broken Tent Pole
Accidents occur, and once you’re tenting, you want to be ready for them.
So in case your tent pole breaks, you need to not less than be capable to give it a fast repair that ought to final during your journey.
Then, once you get house, you’ll have extra time to restore or exchange something that’s nonetheless damaged.
Here’s the nice half – repairing a damaged tent pole isn’t rocket science.
Depending on the injury, you won’t even must do an excessive amount of to it.
Now, let’s discuss every doable situation and how one can take care of it most successfully.
Patching a Broken Tent Pole
In case there’s solely a small crack in your tent pole, then Bondic Liquid Welder or the same kind of liquid plastic can do the trick.
This kind of “glue” works on a easy precept: It is a liquid plastic that requires UV gentle to be cured.
It received’t harden till you do, irrespective of how lengthy it’s been utilized for.
I like this “glue” for therefore many issues, and patching up a tent pole is not any completely different.
The steps for this methodology are fairly easy:
- Lay the pole down on a flat floor. If it’s barely bent across the crack, attempt straightening it up as a lot as you may.
- Apply a tiny little bit of Bondic Liquid Welding to the crack to cowl it up.
- Cure the utilized glue with the UV gentle for 4 seconds.
- If needed, you may additional safe the pole by wrapping the cracked space with tape.
Now, regardless that liquid plastic is extraordinarily sturdy, this isn’t a repair that may extend your tent pole’s life by a few years. While it ought to do the job for the subsequent journey or two, you need to exchange it as quickly as doable.
Splinting a Broken Tent Pole
Now, in case your tent pole is totally damaged, there are two alternative ways you may repair that:
- Using a pole restore sleeve
- Using a tent stake as a splint
Tent pole restore sleeves are superb, as they’re reasonably priced and will let you make a fast repair whilst you’re out within the wilderness.
But what if you happen to don’t have one with you when the “accident” occurs?
Well, one factor that you just certainly have at hand can work for a makeshift splint – a tent stake.
In this part, we’ll cowl every methodology.
Supplies you’ll want:
- Tent pole restore sleeve
- Gaffer’s tape or duct tape
- Wire cutters or pliers (non-obligatory)
- Tent stake or sturdy stick (in case you don’t have a restore sleeve)
Splinting utilizing a pole restore sleeve
A pole restore sleeve is a brief tube that’s only a tiny bit bigger in diameter than a daily tent pole.
That means, it may be utilized on prime of it with out transferring round an excessive amount of.
Some tents function a restore sleeve within the buy, whereas others don’t.
Still, you should buy a pole restore sleeve individually – they’re extensively accessible in out of doors gear shops and on-line.
Here’s what you want to do:
- If the tent pole is bent however not fully damaged, lay it flat and check out straightening it to the unique form.
- If the pole is damaged, line up these sections.
- Slide the restore sleeve on the pole, all the way in which till it covers the break. In case the half the place the pole is broken has splayed items, that is the place wire cutters or pliers come in useful. You can crimp or bend inwards these items so that you could slide the restore sleeve onto the break.
- Grab the tape and wrap it round every finish of the sleeve a number of occasions. This ought to assist maintain the restore sleeve in place.
Splinting utilizing a tent stake
Chances are you won’t have a pole restore sleeve with you. I don’t blame you, as I used to do the identical again within the day.
So, when my pole broke, I needed to improvise. Well, the nice factor is that you should use one thing you will have available, like a tent stake.
Alternatively, a sturdy stick will do as effectively. But provided that discovering such a powerful stick can be laborious, utilizing a stake is way more sensible.
Here’s what to do:
- Lay the tent pole (or line up its elements if the pole has fully snapped in half) on a flat floor. If doable, attempt straightening the bend as a lot as you may.
- Grab a tent stake and align it in such a means that it’s centered subsequent to the half the place the pole broke.
- While holding it tight with one hand, seize a tape with one other and wrap the stake and pole a number of occasions. You need to make the wrap as tight as doable in order that it leaves no room for wiggling.
Replacing an Entire Pole Segment
While the earlier strategies supply fast and straightforward fixes once you’re out within the wilderness, you need to finally exchange your complete pole section and make it pretty much as good as new.
For this methodology, you’ll want a alternative section of the identical dimension as the unique pole. Some out of doors manufacturers make alternative elements for his or her tents, together with poles, however that’s not at all times the case.
Alternatively, you would possibly be capable to discover a section from different producers that’s the fitting dimension and materials as your personal.
Today, many manufacturers supply common alternative pole segments. Just take into account that these come a bit longer so that you could minimize them to dimension.
Supplies you’ll want:
- Felt-tipped marker
- Hacksaw
- Metal file or medium-grit sandpaper
- Contrasting tape (non-obligatory)
Here’s what to do:
- Measure your alternative pole section in order that it matches the previous one in size.
- Line the place you want to minimize the alternative section with a pen or tape. I strongly counsel utilizing tape across the half the place you intend on reducing the pole, because it prevents cracking and splitting whilst you’re reducing by means of it.
- Grab a hacksaw and begin reducing. Be cautious when utilizing this instrument, as you may harm your self if not cautious. Keep a average strain when gliding the hacksaw over the reducing line.
- Once completed, seize a metallic file or sandpaper and begin smoothing out the perimeters of the brand new pole section. You don’t should be very detailed, simply be sure that there aren’t any sharp edges that would injury the shock wire.
And there you will have it, good as new!
Installing a New Shock Cord
Finally, what in case your pole shock wire snaps once you’re tenting?
Well, if you happen to’re cautious, you would possibly be capable to put the tent pole segments collectively and maintain the tent erect that means. But that’s no actual repair.
As quickly as you get house, you want to exchange the shock wire with a brand new one.
Now, that is one thing you would possibly must do each few years anyway, provided that shock cords can lose elasticity over time from use.
And fortunately for you, the method is fast and straightforward.
Supplies you want:
- Replacement shock wire
- Sharp knife or scissors
- Steel washer (non-obligatory)
- Replacement pole section (non-obligatory)
- Hacksaw (non-obligatory)
- File or sandpaper (non-obligatory)
- Felt-tipped marker (non-obligatory)
As you see, many of those provides are non-obligatory. You’ll want all of them provided that you’re additionally changing a pole section whereas putting in a brand new shock wire.
And now, let’s get right down to enterprise. Here’s what you want to do:
- Here’s exchange the shock wire:
- Lay down a tent pole on a flat floor.
- Grab a marker and label every part with numbers/letters to keep away from mixing them up.
- Grab the scissors and snip the previous shock wire on both finish.
- If any pole section wants changing, that is once you need to try this. For directions, observe the tactic above.
- Lay down the previous shock wire subsequent to the brand new one and minimize it to match the size. If the previous wire misplaced elasticity, minimize the brand new one about 8 inches shorter.
- Tie one finish of the shock wire to a pole tip, whereas feeding the opposite finish by means of all pole sections other than the final one.
- Stretch the wire to increase the size whereas feeding by means of the final pole part. Tie the top to the pole tip.
And there you will have it! Very straightforward and fast to do.
FAQs
What are the elements of a tent pole known as?
Parts of the tent pole are known as segments. Each pole has 4 or extra segments, relying on the scale of the tent.
How do you reconnect tent poles?
The shock wire is what retains the tent pole elements collectively. If your shock wire snaps or loses elasticity, you’ll have to interchange the shock wire to maintain the poles working as they need to.
How does a tent pole splint work?
You want to make use of a tent sleeve or one thing sturdy and straight like a stick or an additional tent stake to maintain the pole elements in place whereas in use. If you don’t have a restore sleeve, a sturdy stick or a tent stake will do the job.
How do you straighten a bent tent pole?
You should be cautious when doing this in order that the pole doesn’t break in half.
If it’s solely barely bent, rolling a tent pole onto a flat floor ought to assist with straightening it again.
If it’s extra creased, then you definitely’ll must make a splint to maintain it from bending again.
How tight ought to the tent pole shock wire be?
Tent pole shock cords should be actually tight. In normal, the wire be 25% shorter than the overall size of the pole in slack
To Sum Things Up
As you may see, a damaged or bent tent pole isn’t the top of the world.
In most instances, you may work out a fast repair whilst you’re nonetheless out tenting. Even with simply duct tape and a stick!
And as you get house, you may simply exchange the broken half with just some instruments at your disposal.
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